Transcripts For MSNBCW Dateline 20240704

The clues, that lovers triangle, cash, and a bearded lady. He said she looked like a woman in a fake beard. If a guy. Its a mystery with so many head snapping turns. It took to trial. We waited 18 years for justice. Only two have carpet pulled off. To uncover the truth. We have a verdict. But was it the truth . Hes a person whos done evil things, but that does not make a murderer. I looked at him and said, hey, lets go down to the Comic Book Store and help buy. We pulled up at the party, Police Stopped us. I knew immediately all the Crime Scene Tape was there, and they said, you cant go through. We are investigating a homicide. We are investigating the Comic Book Store. The comic bookstore was a mom and pop shop in a strip mall outside detroit, out by the register, and to see big guys spidey, hulk and xmen. In the Storage Space in back was the ugly reality. One of the shop owners the woman was on the floor, ominously still. No superhero had come to her aid, just some customers. Regulars. Most of the time we were there on friday nights. It was a friday the 13th a, july 1990, when tom and lenora ward stopped by the Comic Book Shop before going out to dinner. She knew our names. Immediately, when we would walk in, she would light up with a smile. Many times, she would actually come around a counter to greet us. But not on this summer evening. It was just after 6 00, tom and lenora had picked out a comic, but there was no one behind the counter to take the money, not barb or her husband, michael, the coowner. It wasnt uncommon that someone wouldnt be at the cash register, but that was a longer than normal time. So, we thought we would stick around, just to make sure, you know, because we liked her. Some teenage customers were also in the shop browsing, and they too were itchy to pay and go. They were the first ones to peek into the back room and see barb sprawl. Right out, theres somebody back here. And that time, tom and i rushed to the back storage area, and found barb on the floor. We fought thought she perhaps had fallen backwards and hit her head. I noticed that she was blue around her mouth. Her pupils were dilated and big. And i could not find a pulse. Lenora happened to be a nurse and took charge. She noticed only a small amount of blood and concluded that barb had suffered a heart attack or a seizure. She told her husband to call 911, while she began administering cpr. I had never done cpr on someone that i knew and loved. It was, please god, let this be ok. Shes a mother. As the ambulance rushed barb to the hospital, lenora ward felt shed done her professional best, but she wasnt at all sure her prayers would be answered. I knew that she was medically in dire straits. The woman rushed into the Emergency Room that evening was 32yearold barbara george. She was a little heavy, physically fit, an enthusiastic softball and volleyball player. Doctors and nurses began working feverishly to get a pulse, thumping the womans chest in rapid bursts. One he armors said if we can give 100 compressions per minute to that patient, the better the chance of reviving the heart. But after 15 minutes it was all over, a doctor pronounced barb george the mother of two dead. It felt to the nurse to clean up the body for the family to view thats. When she saw. When we were straightening up her hairwe noticed some blood on the top of her head. I noticed there was a small hole. My first thought as a nurse was there had to be a bullet hole there. Imagine that, barbara george, the nice lady behind the counter, shot to death. She was shot, shot to the head. It wouldnt seem that it would happen to such a person. Back in the shop, friends and family continue to arrive for what was supposed to be a Surprise Birthday Party that night for Michael George. Barbs husband. What a pleasant night it shouldve been, with toasts, the singing of happy birthday, and all the superheroes from his beloved marvel and Action Comics looking on. All those guests now stumped to find the party turned into a crime scene. And barb, the hostess, that. Coming up would could be too close to solving the mystery . Right after the murder, witnesses reported seeing A Speeding Car. We both, and then, said it to each other, where, boy, this car is going too fast. And a man waiting outside the Comic Book Shop. He had a dark outfit for that time of the year, greek fisherman cap, is how i would describe it. When dateline continues. Ifof moderatetosevere asthma thats not for sudden breathing problems. Dupixent can cause allergic reactions that can be severe. Get help right away if you have rash, chest pain, worsening shortness of breath, tingling or numbness in your limbs. Tell your doctor about new or worsening joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. 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Sotyktu. Mr. Clean magic eraser powers through tough messes. So it makes it look like i spent hours cleaning and you know i didnt. It makes my running shoe look like new. Its amazing wow, it makes it look like. I dont have kids at all. Its so good, it makes it look like i have magical powers with 80 less scrubbing, mr. Clean magic eraser makes cleaning easy. Also available in sheets their holeinthewall shop, comics world, he collected thousands of comics over the years, and he likes superhero adventures way more than he likes selling insurance. So with some help from bobs parents, they took the jump and opened their own shop in a Clinton Township strip mall in the winter of 1988. Joe covina is barbs brother, he earned a living by removing dense endings from back in 1990 he was The Kid Brother who looked up to his sister. He admired her on the ball field. I used to go to her games. I remember going to tournaments with the family. You know, she was your typical older sister. She was always there to help you. Barb had been raised in a Traditional Polish Catholic family and when she found her man Michael George marriage became the Organizing Principle of her life. Was she a happy bride . Very happy. Yeah. She couldnt wait. And when children came along, tworleorged complete. Her kids were her pride and joy. I think that was everything to her. But as brother joe and his thengirlfriend mary now mary shamo drove over to the comic shop on that friday the 13th, both of them knew that after the party for a cozy couple of days of the launch. That is friday, night is gonna be a romantic weekend. We cannot man to be, because by the time john mary got to the common bookstore just before 9 00, there is confusion. Cup cars. We pulled, up and joe pulled up to please stop, and they said you cant go through, we investigating a homicide, somebody was killed. I immediately thought mike, because i thought no one hated my sister. Absolutely nobody. But it wasnt mike. It was his sister, the sister whod and it was up to Detective Sergeant to make sense of this. He had been the detective onduty when the hospital called that had a woman come in with a single gunshot to the head. So now we had a fullblown homicide. You know its going to be a long night . Yes. As the Detectives Team scoured the Strip Mall Dumpsters for maybe a tossed weapon, clothing, or something, he turned over the few facts he had so far. A woman with children was gunneddown executionstyle in the back of a little Comic Book Store. Police interviewed merchants and customers at the mall. Had anyone seen anything out of the ordinary . It turned out tom and lenora ward did. The couple whod given barb first aid had picked up on something when they arrived that evening A Speeding Car in front of the Comic Book Shop. And we both thought to ourselves, and then said it to each other, boy, that cars going too fast. Later theyd wonder if that was the getaway car. Had on kind of a dark outfit for that time of the year. Greek fishermans cap is how i would describe it. Another man visiting the strip mall would say he saw different suspicious character, someone wearing apparently a fake beard, possibly bearded lady. Shop a small, deeper than it was wide. Aisles have bins filled with comic books out front by the register, and a door to the back storage room. Barbara george had been but found just inside the backroom, along the far back door wasnt toward the lead to the alley in the rear. Crime scene techs began videotaping the crime scene. This is the cash register. There were 750 on the cash register, untouched. In a glass case just behind the, till a wall of can likable vintage comics, the good stuff, they hadnt been ransacked. In the storage area, at some bins have been toppled over, but the emts might have done that as a rushed in to assist barb georgia sheila on the floor. More than 400 would be found in her pockets, the jewelry she had worn wasnt taken. Later, the medical examiner determined that the shopowner had been shot by above, the bullet entering almost the very top of the skull, indicating she had been crouching. Another bullet have been fired first, it missed and went through a Swimsuit Calendar on the wall, and into the empty shop on the other side of the sheet rock. If it was robber of the Comic Book Store, it was an unusual one. Just after 8 00, detective was told that the husband of the victim had just arrived. He identified himself, and we said whats going, and weve said theyve been incident, here which i tell you but your wife had been injured. Injured . I told him that. Not dead . We never told him what, we never told him what happened to her. He doesnt know what has happened to his wife . To our knowledge, he had no idea what was going on. And he never really asked, you know, at the hospital, Michael George was informed that his wife had died of a Gunshot Wound to the head. A few minutes later, mary and his brotherinlaw joe came rushing in. The girlfriend was undone by the awful news. Im blown away. Im shocked. I wasnt even related to her and i was devastated and i was crying and i was upset. Mike never once cried. He was why was she so suspicious of the Comic Book Man . Coming up. There wasnt one tear in his eyes, there wasnt a swell in his eye, as there is nothing going on, is all an act. An untroubled, husband with a very troubled marriage. There theyre giggling together. You wouldnt think get any kind, world the way theyre counting on. We started receiving phone calls, might want to look at his relationship with his own plane renee. He looked cozy, check it out. Yes. When dateline continues. Your best defense against erosion and cavities is strong enamel nothing beats it. New pronamel active shield actively shields the enamel to defend against erosion and cavities. I think that this product is a gamechanger for my patients it really works. Were done. What about these . Looks right. Nooo. Nooo. Quick, the quicker picker upper bounty absorbs spills like a sponge. And is 2x more absorbent so you can use less. Bounty, the quicker picker upper. Some people think you can only have one favorite team. And is 2x more absorbent so you can use less. Well i beg to differ. Thats why i got xfinity. So, i can catch all my favorite teams outofmarket sunday afternoon games. And for the first time ever, no dish needed. In a word its fitzcredible. No. I got it, fitzsational. I should trademark that. Eligible Xfinity Rewards Members can get up to 100 off Nfl Sunday Ticket from youtube. Sign up for Xfinity Rewards now. Barbara george had been shot to death in the storage room of a Comic Book Shop she owned with her husband michael. Six hours after her murder, Michael George had returned from the hospital to show the chief detective, sgt. Steckman, around the small store, which was now a crime scene. You noticed too important white boxes were gone. And as soon as he walked in the back room, he looked and said there were two Cardboard Boxes full of very expensive comic books missing. So hes saying, i had some expensive stuff back here. Two boxes of comic books. And its gone . And theyre gone. Michael george made a list of stolen comics and estimated their value at 12,600. Hed later file an Insurance Claim for vintage editions of spiderman, green lantern, and iron man, to name just a few. So hes talking about robbery is his likely scenario . His whole scenario was it had to be robbery. At the Comic Book Shop, Michael George would tell the detective that he had no idea what had happened to his wife. Hed last seen her, hed said, a little after 4 p. M. When shed relieved him behind the counter. He said hed taken the couples two kids over to his moms and had remained there, taking a nap on her couch before returning to the store just after 8 p. M. Det. Steckman asked Michael George the questions a cop would when the wife has just been murdered. Lets get all this up straight. Were there any girlfriends . No. Were you having any affairs . No. Any problems with your marriage . No, everything was fine. At the funeral days later, a girlfriend of barbs weather couldnt make out what he was feeling, because his eyes were concealed behind dark, dark sunglasses. Like something that a blind person would wear, something you see Stevie Wonder wear. And mary sense that michael was acting strange, even goofy, only increased after a visit to the Trailer Park Home where Michael George and barbara had lived. She and joe barbs brother had gone over to give michael some support during tough days. And he comes in and her vacuums sitting there and he grabs the vacuum and he embraces the vacuum and he showed more emotion with this vacuum than he did the whole time. Whats he saying to the vacuum . And hes just saying, oh, this was barbs vacuum. And, oh my god, shes never going to use this vacuum again. And then he would go to a blender and hes like, shes never going to be in this kitchen again. Are you thinking, whats up with this guy . And i am looking at him like he was a screwball. Here you are, grieving over a vacuum and all these appliances, and there wasnt one tear in his eye. There was no swelling going on in his eyes. He had nothing going on, it was all in the act. The police meanwhile were chasing down bank records, and insurance policies, looking for leads on the speeding car, the man in the greek fisherman cap, and whether this could indeed have been a botched robbery, after all. And they were getting a crash course on the value of vintage comics. Unhappily for them, the case detectives hadnt found the gun and hoped for forensics like a bloody print just werent there. But the investigators were getting calls on the qt about Michael George maybe having a girlfriend. When did you learn about a Shop Assistant named renee . A friend of both him and barb . That was two days later. We started receiving phone calls from people advising us that we might want to look at his relationship with his employee named renee. A little cozy, check it out. Yes. It was barb george whod met and befriended renee kotula at their childrens school, and brought her to work at the Comic Book Store. Renee had five children and needed the money. Her Floundering Marriage had ended in divorce just three weeks before barbs murder. Not long after they buried barbara, mary shamo remembers dropping in unexpectedly at the Comic Book Shop along with her Boyfriend Joe and the pair got a shocker. They saw michael and renee, the Shop Assistant, canoodling. They didnt see us pull up, they were really close and they were giggling together, and their arms were crossed over to each other. And when you lose somebody in your life you kind of look around at the world like, whats going on . Why does the world keep moving when i just lost somebody so important. And here this man is as happy as a clam. You wouldnt think that he had any care in the world, the way he was carrying on with her. Michael and renee would set up a new home together with the help of a 130,000 Life Insurance payout on barb that hed received as beneficiary. Is he becoming what cops call A Person Of Interest . Yes, at that point he was. At that point he had to be. Hed talked to the police casually at the store that night, and then in a more formal interview at the Police Station six days later. But there would be no followups. According to det. Steckman, Michael George said he would hire an attorney. Lawyer up. Theyd stopped talking. Exactly. So this is a big unsolved case . Yes. How much frustration is building within the family . What can we do . I mean, you can take the law and your own hands, but whats gonna happen with that . Did you ever talk about it . I felt it. There was times i felt, you know, i should do something. But, you know, im a catholic. I couldnt live with it. In the comics, superheroes are ageless. But the Comic Book Shop in the Clinton Township strip mall wasnt. It closed its doors in 1992. Michael george the shop owner and his new wife rene had moved from town. They had settled something hundred and 75 miles southeast of detroit in, lindberg, population 4000, a little cold mining town. They had open a new shop, comics world. With his new kids and grenades five being raised together in a spacious new home, they found friends, among other parents involved in their case sport team. Michael coach Brad Westover Stock Daughter in law school. He never missed a game. It was a family man. Respected business person. We had Electrical Supply shop three blocks down from comics world. As life was for the kids, and i have to say, as life was for winning. He treated her like goal. They endured themselves to a town where families go back generations by raising money for the make a wish chair, and giving comics for the public library. Besides his good works, as france said he was just plain fun. The guy always had a smile on his face, always joking. Everybody enjoyed being around him. Michael george had all but severed ties with his murdered wifes family. Uncles and aunts back and clinton, michigan, rarely saw barbaras two girls. Come the year 2000, was Michael George even aware that the longtime Chief Of Police and his former town had passed away . Chief robert smith had died without solving the nagging case of the Comic Book Murder. Everyone in this town was aware of that crime. And probably myself more so because my dad was the Chief Of Police at that time. Chief smithson, eric smith. I had driven by that store 1000 times but with my old man. Just about every time we drove by their, there was something he said. Still nine . Adam theres no question about it. Four years after his fathers death, eric smith was elected Chief Prosecutor in macomb county, michigan. He became responsible for all the criminal cases in Clinton Township and beyond. I cant tell you how many people came up to me and said that a Family Member of theirs had been murdered or had been killed, and nothing had been done. And you can see the desperation on their face. And they really thought that the system had passed them by. And if im gonna be the chief Law Enforcement officer of this county, i cant let people out there think that we dont care. So we started a cold case unit very soon after i came in. One of prosecutor smiths first acts in office, was just set out a letter to all the Police Department in his county asking police to send detectives to look at their old, unsolved with fresh eyes. I did it with Michael George in mind. There is no question in my mind that at the time i was hoping that we would get a lot of cases, i was hoping Clinton Town Ship would pick this up. And maybe resolve one for the old man . That thats it. Thats it. Thats the case that was unsolved for my old man, my dad. Just as he hoped, the Clinton Township pd reopened the dusty Comic Book Murder case. And what a surprise the detectives found their. Someone did have a vital piece of information about the night of the murder, but his story had slipped through the cracks. How could police have missed it all those years . Coming up. A phone call to the Comic Book Shop that seemed to come at a very bad time. It sounded like he was busy. Did he say, i am busy, i gotta go . No, just a short. He just kept coming back to mike. It was like a funnel effect. We started off looking at a lot of things, and a lot of people. And it just narrowed down just like a funnel. When dateline continues. L. 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If you have hepatitis b do not stop taking biktarvy without talking to your Healthcare Provider. Common side effects were diarrhea, nausea, and headache. No matter where life takes you, biktarvy can go with you. Talk to your Healthcare Provider today. Has risen to at least 89. Local Officials Say up to 1000 people are still missing and more than 5000 people are in need of shelter after their homes were reduced to rubble. Fema has hundred and 50 personnel on the ground as officials work to restore power and Phone Service to the area. The governor said this wildfire is the largest Natural Disaster in state history. And now, back to dateline. The Comic Book Murder files came out of the archives, and the Lead Detective blowing off the east. Township for, us to remember that killing at the strip mall. And he took it personally, that someone out there had gotten away with murder. The lieutenant had identified with the victim. I was approximately the same age, and had children the same age, and maybe that was just something that stuck with me. This is a tough one to pick up the staff. I knew that going in, but i had already operated under the theory, you dont shoot you dont score. And i thought i owed to myself, but i outed to barb to. Detective needed help, Google Fashion Shoe leather cops, to make the calls not on doors, so he recruited jimmy hall and leni rico, the three of them went into the old boxes, rereading yellowing Police Reports. But theres a reason the crimes go into the cold case files, a lack of evidence. The three wondered, if they had one of those here. They seem to normal, and finally when we can see the conclusion that its doable, we need to notify the family, thats why we finally contacted them. The cold case detectives were painfully aware of giving barb georges family falls of active 17 years. But in early 2007, the detectives laid out what they found, warts and all to barbaras brother joe and other Family Members. And we were honest with them, we dont know how successful were gonna be here. Still, after that meeting with the detectives, barbs family and friends allowed themselves to be optimistic. I told my sister when we walked out of that Police Station, i said, something will come out of this. Joe and mary his girlfriend back then had broken up after barbaras murder, but they remained close over the years. Joe called me and he told me what was going on. And my and and again, he could barely even talk, and he lit up, and he said good, good, gods gonna get. The detective started their investigation as though it were july 13th, 1990. With the 911 call had just come in. All three of them knew this wasnt going to be an episode of csi. Forensic science saving the day. No weapon, blood smears, hair fibers, none of that. What people are used to see nowadays. Dna and things like that, we didnt have it. We just had the detective work. Which means get out there and interview people. They say, without preconceived theories, they chased down the old leads again. The speeding car, the man in the greek fishermans cap, the bearded lady. And reexamine the old motive. Was it possible that barbara had been shot to death over a pricey collectible comic book . Thank you sir. The cold case detectives interviewed over 100 people. And of all those fresh 2007 interviews, the one they did with this man turned out to be the gamechanger. His name, mike mantle, a Girl Softball coach who was confined to a wheelchair after a Swimming Pool accident in 2003. Back in 1990, ronald was a College Senior and a spiderman fanatic. On july 13th, the night of the murder, the detectives learned, were not a place to call to the comics world store. He thought he could could come in about 5 30 or so, about 30 minutes before the murder. The avid collector wanted to know why one of his comic books had zoomed in value, avoids he knew very well answered the phone. It was Michael George, the shop owner. Its not like its busy. Did he say, im busy, people in the, shop gotta go . No, it was just a short. Something you could hear in his voice. We would be us a little bit. And there was no time for bs. The cold case cops had struck gold. Micro nods story was the missing puzzle piece the detectives had been looking for for years. If were not to count is true, it does nothing less then demolish Michael Georges alibi, that he was napping at his mothers house when barb was murdered around 6 00. Were nots Phone Call Story meant that george was line, and run out was certain that he talked to become a store owner at the shop, and that that brief conversation must have taken place just a few minutes before bart was killed. The embarrassing thing about this nugget of a clue was that microsoft had told the very same story to the police back in 1990, the day after the murder. What looked like a case breaker in 2007 had simply slipped through the cracks back when. Theyd had it in the case file all along. In clear handwriting, there it was, a record of renos july 14th phone call to the police. Mr. Or not stated that he called comic world around 5 30 and talked with the owner, Michael George. Well thats the one piece that was missing. Even, so it was a piece that still had flaws as evidence. There were no existing phone logs to corroborate or not story, or to pin down the exact time he placed a call. To this day, former detective donald statement doesnt know how that note from run on when a stray. But he says he was unaware of the Comic Book Collectors story of talking to the husband in the shop minutes before the murder. How did you not see it . Well, i never saw. If we did seen it, we would not be sitting here today. It wouldve gone for an arrest in gone to trial. 1991. No doubt about it. And now, the investigative leads pointed just one way, toward the husband. It just kept coming back to mike. It was like a funnel effect. We started off looking at a lot of things in a lot of people. And it just narrowed down, just like a funnel. It was time for the cold case detectives to take a road trip. To pennsylvania. A trip across miles and time. They were going to make a surprise visit to Michael George at comics world. Was the one time husband finally collectible . Coming up. This was a vendetta, and then when barbara took the bill that was meant for him . Exactly, and that was something entirely different from what he told the police back in 1990. After 17 years, a conversation us expected killer never expected. When dateline continues. He against certain hpvrelated cancers, can start then too. For most, hpv clears on its own. 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[music playing] your best defense against erosion and cavities is strong enamel nothing beats it. New pronamel active shield actively shields the enamel to defend against erosion and cavities. I think that this product is a gamechanger for my patients it really works. Shingles. Some describe it as pulsing electric shocks or sharp, stabbing pains. This painful, blistering rash can disrupt your life for weeks. A pain so intense, you could miss out on family time. The virus that causes shingles is likely already inside of you. If youre 50 years or older, ask your doctor or pharmacist about shingles. Two of the cold case detectives punched up a quest for comics world in pennsylvania, in pennsylvanias southeast. It was 2007, 17 years after the murder, and lie Commandoes Synchronizing their watches, the detectives had decided to execute simultaneous Surprise Interviews on Michael Georges turf. We had teams of detectives go to all three locations exactly the same time. It would be michael at the store, his wife renee at the house, and michaels mother at her home, back in hazel park, michigan. Unannounced . Unannounced. When they found comics world, the two detectives waited for some customers to leave, checked their watches, then sauntered in. We were probably about a minute behind the other detectives. So, when we walked in mike george was on the phone. And, we assume hes talking to renee, his wife. And, he says, no, theres nobody here. And, he had his back to us as we walked through the door. He turned around, he goes, theyre here. And he got off the phone and he just looked pretty sick at that point. Det. Hall switched on the Tape Recorder hed concealed in his jacket. Introduced ourselves. Mike was pretty much unemotional. He said, hey, come on in. Have a seat. Started talking to him. This is some of that conversation we are reopening that case. We have a few questions for you. Want to talk to you about it. Okay. What did the police tell you back then, our department . They had leads. They never, you know, told me what the leads were. He didnt say much at the beginning. I mean, does he say this is great news . No, very unemotional. Ive been waiting for you guys for 17 years. What happened . Ive been waiting for you guys to solve it . No, he doesnt give no. 17 years on Michael George claimed a Flickering Memory for events. I remember the funeral. I dont remember anything. I remember the funeral because there are so many cars. Is he getting sweaty, twitchy . Hes nervous. He was very pale. Didnt make eye contact. Most of the interview his head was looking down towards the table. In 1990 that late night conversation with the Lead Detective at the store after the murder, Michael George had speculated that barb was killed in a botched robbery, someone after valuable vintage comic books. I knew stuff was gone. Okay, what was taken . Maybe the cars are missing something . Very old books. Okay what kind of books where there . They were old golden age books. He couldnt remember exactly whatever comics were taken, or the amount. Although he was sketchy on the details, he had no trouble coming up with a totally new answer when the cops asking to speculate on what barbara, of all people, had been murdered. Listen as michaels Theory Switches from robbery to revenge. I think barb was at the wrong place at the wrong time. I think somebody wanted to get back at me. I dont know who it was, but, i shouldve been there so they could get back at me. So she could raise these girls instead of me. This was a vendetta, and then what barbara took the bullet that was meant for him . Exactly, and that was Something Different than what he told the police back in 1990. Is that as interesting as anything else youve heard . Absolutely. He would come up with a new motive. Meanwhile, the prosecutor back in michigan, the son of the onetime police chief was deeply curious about how this will be the interview was going. Were you surprised to hear that hed talk to them . That he hadnt lawyered up . That heathens them getting on the phone with my attorney . Very surprised. I think he was so shocked by the fact that we are still looking at him. So shocked that he did not to do. Thats why we didnt call him. Thats why we didnt give him a heads up. As the interview continues, Michael George said he hadnt in 1990, he owned up to his philandering. Describe for me your marriage to her at the time of her death. It was rocky because we had all the pressures. I just quit my job, open up the story. You know, we would have our fights. We would have our arguments. You say its rocky and people have fights and arguments like that. What was the fights about . Anything like Extramarital Affairs . Yeah, yeah. On her side or your side . My side. Late in the 90 minute interview the conversation circled back to that earlier theory. Robert, the supposed theft of valuables, detectives asked if anyone knew he kept the good stuff in the back storage room. Thats when things got testy. Listen as georges previously passive tone becomes directed confrontation. Then im just trying to find out how that individual, the suspect, would have known they were there . Thats all. Unless it was an inside job. Or unless they were taken . They werent taken. It was insurance fraud. So youre saying im lying. No, no, im just saying that that is a possibility. Mike. You have to look at all options. So now youre saying that i lied about the books being gone. I dont know, so now what youre saying is i better get a lawyer . We didnt say that. Yes you did. You just said one of the possibilities is that is a possibility. Insurance okay, stop. If youre gonna show up to more like we know. Ill get a lawyer. Because this is [bleep] right now. The next day, he would need a lawyer, a criminal Defense Lawyer. The michigan detectives and the Pennsylvania State Police Arrested him at his workplace. The Comic Book Store. As he was led away after a later court appearance, he loudly proclaimed that police had nabbed the wrong man. I was with my daughters and my mom. They know i didnt do this. The cold case had turned red hot, Michael George was returning to michigan and would stand trial for the first degree murder of his wife. A Case Prosecutors knew would be hard to prove with the age of csis and show me forensic evidence. That is because there wasnt none. It would come down to a single witness, and his recollection of a solitary phone call, he said he made on a friday the 13th 1990. Coming up a twist in court few would have predicted. Did you expect it was possible he was gonna come out and say this cases dismissed, or georges released, we dont have a case here . Eventually, and never crossed my mind. And then after five hours you start to worry. It was the toughest moment i ever had as a lawyer. When dateline continues. Continues your best defense against erosion and cavities is strong enamel nothing beats it. New pronamel active shield actively shields the enamel to defend against erosion and cavities. I think that this product is a gamechanger for my patients it really works. [sneeze] astepro allergy, steroid free Allergy Relief that starts working in 30 minutes, while other Allergy Sprays take hours. With astepros Unbeatably Fast Allergy Relief you can astepro and go christina wanna know the secret ingredient to running my business . With astepros Unbeatably Fast Allergy Relief tina her. christina being all over, all at once. tina all the time. christina but my old network wasnt cutting it. And thats not good for baking. Or judging. Or writing. So, we switched to verizon, the Network Businesses rely on. 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Plus one line of free mobile for an entire year. Its the mobile made free eventhappening now. Get started for just 49. 99 a month. Plus, ask how to get one free line of unlimited mobile. All rise. Comcast business, powering possibilities. In a michigan courtroom not far from his old Comic Book Store, Michael George was standing trial, charged with the first degree murder of his then wife barbara. He was the husband from hell. In early 2008, the man who intended to put george away was steve, then the Trial Prosecutor for the counties cold case unit. Its true we didnt have forensic evidence supporting our case. He knew getting the Comic Book Man with nothing but circumstantial evidence, no weapon, no witness, no dna would make this case off on to win. Something he had never let onto the jury, of course. We will prove to you that this is a murder, and if it is a murder theres only one person in this world who had a reason to kill this wonderful person, that is Michael George. For him proving it came down to a case of who you trust. What the jury believe his mom, she said her son was sleeping on her couch. Or with the jury accept the comments of the Comic Book Store collector. He said the defendant was at the store answering a phone call. Once or the phone . Michael george. How long did you talk to the defendant . Less than five minutes. What time did you call the defendant . Anywhere between 5 15 and 5 45. Do you remember how he seemed to you . He seemed like he was in a hurry. How important is he to your case . Without him we cant win this case. Because without michael we cannot place the defendant, physically in that store close to the time of barbers shooting. And then came a routine moment that weve all seen in Courtroom Dramas on tv. The prosecutor, in this case steve kaplan, rose and told the judge we rest. The defense respond in this michigan courtroom just as predictably was to try to get the case thrown out. Not enough evidence state hadnt met its burden, and asking the judge for what is called a Directed Verdict. When you just dont know you, have to pull the plug. You have to say that is it. And then it got really strange. And you say, your honor the state has not proved its case. We asked that you dismiss it right now, let it go to the jury. Yes. Happens all the time . Right. And almost always you are rebuffed. That is right, youre almost always rebuffed by about 10 to 15 seconds. That didnt happen here . No. This time the judge james listened intently for 20 minutes as Michael Georges Defense Lawyer argued that there was no way the prosecution had proven behind a reasonable doubt that the defendant was in the Comic Book Shop with a gun in his hand. The trial judge is obligated to make a call to say whether or not there was sufficient evidence to justify this. Prosecutor caplan knew that by law the judge has to regard all evidence in a light most favorable to the prosecution. He took just 30 seconds and period with a brief citation of Case Law Arguing why the case should go to the jury. The evidence presented to the court meets a question of back to the jury whether Michael Georges the murder, the motion should be denied. And then the judge retired to his chambers to ponder the motion to dismiss. And ponder he did, staying out for hours. Eric smith was the countys Chief Prosecutor. What was going on . Well i can tell you what was going on in the prosecutions and we were fit to be tied. Weve all tried hundreds of cases, and these motions for Directed Verdicts are dismissed almost immediately. Did you expect it was possible he was gonna come out and say this cases dismissed . He is released . We dont have a case here . Well, initially, never crossed my mind, after a couple of hours still to cross my mind, after five hours you start to worry. For the defense, carl was feeling better by the hour. I remember walking outside with my client and saying this is obviously good news, i cannot lie to you judges dont take this long to decide these motions. After hours of watching the clock go round, the defendant, out on 1 Million Dollar bond praying with his Circle Of Friends and families in the hallway the judge at last return to the bench. The court has been reviewing this matter for approximately five hours, and i think an extraordinary length of time to review any motion for Directed Verdict. He started, there was a case to be made for the defenses position. Albeit it could be made that the evidence is marginal. Then, he seemed to point out the merits of the prosecutions argument. This is in many ways a classic murder case, if the evidence is believed by the jury, then the jury could reach a finding of guilt. On the one hand, and the other. Where was the judge going . So, the court at this point cannot substitute its opinion for the juries. He decided for the prosecution, there was enough evidence to go forward. The Directed Verdict is denied. The defense had lost a five hour long high stakes game and apparently by the closest of margins. Its probably the toughest moment i ever had as a lawyer. You thought you might have had it . I thought that they deliver this guy from this horrible, horrible experience of not having lost his wife but then being falsely blamed after all these years. I thought the ordeal was almost over. All right for the jury please. The jurors filed back for the case unaware of how close they had come to be thanked and sent home without hearing any more of it. Fired up by the knowledge that the judge had almost tossed out the case, the defense set out to counter the prosecutions crucial phone call that seemed to place the defendant at the scene. Michael could not have been at the store committing the murder. The Defense Attorney carl said it was impossible to be in two places at once. And so he called Michael Jordans mother as his alibi witness, to tell the jury that michael arrived at her house some time after five pm on 5 13. He said he was tired, i dont ill take a nap for a while. She testified she took her granddaughters to the School Playground. Now, when you got back did you observe Michael Little . Yeah. Where was he . He was on the couch, sleeping. Now, it would be up to the jurors to decide whether they believed Michael Georges mother, or the witness who said Michael George answered his phone call. Decision day, march 17th 2008. Michael george prayed quietly to himself. His freedom, his family, the life he had enjoyed in pennsylvania or at risk for ever. A Murder Conviction Mend mandatory life, no possibility of parole. All right for the jury please. The jury of eight women and four men filed in nervously as one juror explained. My hands were sweating and i took a look at Michael George in nights of his family, and i was numb and scared at the same time. My brother says is your heart beating fast . I said yes it is. This is it. Coming up the verdict count number one first degree murder we find the defendant when dateline continues. Continues dupixent is an addon treatment for specific types of moderatetosevere asthma thats not for sudden breathing problems. Dupixent can cause allergic reactions that can be severe. Get help right away if you have rash, chest pain, worsening shortness of breath, tingling or numbness in your limbs. Tell your doctor about new or worsening joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. Dont change or stop asthma medicines, including steroids, without talking to your doctor. Ask your specialist about dupixent. I gotta good feeling about this, yeah including steroids, without talk im with it tor. I gotta good feeling about this yeah, so lets get it im feeling good vibes shingles. Some describe it as an intense Burning Sensation or an unbearable itch. 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Michael george slumped and sobbed in his attorneys arms. Please be seated. Barbs sister and two brothers seemed to share a gasp of relief. He took away my older sister she didnt get to see me get married she didnt get to see my son being bored. She will never get to see him do anything. I mean, he took a part of me away. Across the room, the convicted mans younger daughter of one of barbs two children collapsed into her stepmother rene. Michael george would go on weeping for a full two minutes. But lieutenant craig keith, the cold case detective who rediscover the evidence was unmoved by his tears. He showed no emotion back in 1990 and now he cries, and my impression of that is he is crying for himself. It was devastating, devastating. Barely able to stand george was held to the podium to face the judge. The same judge who had apparently been a heartbeat away from dismissing the case altogether. The jury has found you guilty of all charges. At this time i am giving you to the custody of the sheriffs office. The Comic Book Man was now a convict. [crying] okay. [crying] i can do this. His hands were cuffed and deputies led him away. I had no doubt that the verdict that we came to was the correct one. The jurors had returned to their deliberations, they said they could hear george sobbing, but that didnt shake their confidence in the verdict. They said it had come down to the testimony of the man who said he called about a spiderman comic. I think i hear you all say he was tripped up by answering that phone call. From michael. Yes. He should not have been there when mike called. The cold case unit started by Prosecutor Eric Smith with this case in mind. And won a conviction. I really thought he was finally gonna face just punishment he deserves. Smith had notched one up for his dad, the late police chief, or so he believed. My next thoughts were to my old man. I wish she was here to share this with, and i know youre smiling. The losing Defense Lawyer voice the kinds of comments you would expect to hear. I think that the jury got it wrong. I believe we have a strong shot with this judge to be able to get either an outright reversal or a new trial. That wasnt brave blaster, in this case the Defense Attorney was being prophetic. Six months later the defense tried again, a motion for a new trial before the same judge. One of the grounds for the appeal was prosecutorial misconduct. This is not a robbery. Its not a robbery. Its a murder. What happened was in his Closing Arguments the prosecutor had a display for the jury. The timetable is and out of the judges eye shot began assembling pieces of a photo like a jigsaw puzzle. The punchline when you put the picture together, there you go jurors, theres your killer. Michael george. Maybe clever or maybe corn ball, either way the prosecutor may have overstepped his bounds. The image of the finished puzzle was a mugshot of Michael George that was never introduced into evidence. And according to Defense Lawyers, showed him in a bad light. A judicial error the defense argued. Strike one. Strike two, was newly discovered evidence in the Police Case File possibly favorable to the defense. The judge had had enough. A judge ruled Michael George should get a new trial in the 1990 Comic Book Store murder case. Throughout the juries and was giving Michael George a new chance to win his freedom. It was elation, its like, okay, the greatest injustice that i had ever been associated with as a lawyer had just been corrected. We were going to have a new trial. Defense attorneys carl and joe always believed in their clients innocence, and now they had one another chance to prove it. [crying] michael was devastated by the verdict. And suddenly he has a new life, he has faith in the system. I think he has two things working, new evidence, some unfairness in the closing argument, on top of this real heartfelt feeling by the judge of an innocent man had been convicted. The county prosecutor, eric smith, wasnt buying any of it. The judge seems are directed that there be a new trial because of prosecutorial misconduct. He hung his hat on a lot of things, and that was clearly one of them. Since the case began it appears that he has not been comfortable in the case, what he did was set aside a Murder Conviction which is unheard of. Smith was beside himself, he even though the judges controversial decision was eventually backed by michigans highest courts. You wait 18 years for justice, and you finally get justice only to have it the carpet pulled out of you. After the 2008 guilty verdict barbs brother had gone to her grave site to share the good news. We finally got him, you know. He didnt get away with it, you can rest now. But now there was the judges blockbuster decision. It tore a hole in our hearts, here we thought it was over. Barbs family would have to go through the painful ordeal all over a again, and with even more uncertainties this time around. The jury had found Michael George guilty, the judge had serious doubts. A new jury could go either way. Especially since defense now had new evidence, more possible alternate killers, and just dug up dirt on the prosecution star witness. But two completely new prosecutors were roughed up for the upcoming battle. Steve fox, and bill, teaming up to make Michael George face the music one more time. The trial of the Comic Book Murder, volume two, was now at hand. Coming up a different jury, different prosecutors. Michael george fell prey to the two issues most known to common men. Sex and money. Will there be a different verdict . When dateline continues. When dateline continues. When nature and science get together. Pretty sweet things can happen. Like our senokot laxative gummies. To relieve occasional constipation, senokot starts with the Natural Senna Plant that science transforms into a yummy gummy sweet senokot laxative gummies. Wow, you get to watch all your favorite stuff. Sweet its to die for. And its all right here. Streaming was never this easy, you know. This is the way. You really went all out didnt you . Um, its called commitment. Could you turn down the volume . Here, you can try. Get way more into what your into when you stream on the xfinity 10g network. September 2011, in the nearly three years since the last Comic Book Murder trial, Michael George had been locked up in the county jail where he said inadequate care caused a Vitamin B Deficiency that crippled him. He was confined to a wheelchair as the second trial got underway before a new judge. Officially calling the case of peoples versus george was present. If the defendants disability made him appear feeble and sympathetic to jurors, the new Prosecution Team of bill and steve would work hard to demonize him. Michael george fell prey to the two issues most known to common men. Sex and money. What was your theory . I think motive is important it was easy, 135,000 in insurance proceeds and the fact that he really didnt want to be married, he didnt like his wife he thought she was on attracted. He wanted a new life. In his opening argument, he told the jurors that Michael Joe George was having a toward affair with a assistant, now his second wife. He wanted to get rid of his overweight wife and move on to something better. Before the murder, the husband wasnt bothering to hide his disdain for his wife barbara, according to this prosecution witness. Raise your right hand. Teresa testified that she and her son went to comics world saturday before the murder. Michael barbara and their two young daughters were in the store when teresa walked in. I had remarked how beautiful the little girls were. What did he say . He said if it wasnt for his daughters that he would not have been with his wife that he found her unattractive. Heavy. And if it was up to him he would take the girls and moved to florida. What was your reaction to that response . I couldnt believe he had said Something Like that to me while she was right there in the store. And that same customer was shocked again days later when michael made which she thought was a pass at her during his own wife suing at the funeral home. He gave me an inappropriate hug, it wouldve been a hug that i had only given to my husband. Meaning . Its an intimate hug. The following saturday as was their custom, teresa and her son stopped by comics world, michael slipped her a note would you read the note for the jury. You look very, very, very, very pretty today. Thanks for coming in, sincerely, michael. Scornful of his wife, hitting on other women and now a longtime friend of barbaras was testifying that her friends and family were all well aware with a capital t trouble in the marriage. She had a call from Barbara Weeks before the murder. She was crying, very upset. Mike wanted a divorce. Did she convey to you that you would agree to that . She did not want to divorce. Prosecutor fox as the witness about seeing the defendant at barbs funeral. I overheard mike saying to his mother yelling out, mom, did you call the Insurance Company . It didnt sound good. Because of the Phone Conversation i had with barbed and now her death. Michael george a onetime insurance sales mel had received 130,000 tax free from his wifes Life Insurance policy. Not bad money in 1990. Oh witness who worked with michael and Insurance Business was asked about the money. What is the this . This is a claim statement for payment of the proceeds. Who signed the claim . Michael george, looks like. On what day . 7 18 of 90. July 18th 1990 . Yes. Or are you aware that she had been buried in the yes. Womanizer, the prosecutor dissected Michael Jordans character and referred to him as the only possible killer. Our concentration was that he was the only guy, he was the one who have had to done it because no one else on earth would have. Your first name is kim . Yes. Prosecutors called this witness who worked at a nail salon in the same strip mall as comics world. I would say that i witnessed 30 to 35 arguments. She testified she heard many heated arguments between michael and barber that summer but the one she overheard that afternoon friday the 13th sounded even uglier. It was louder he was much angrier. Much more violent. Then in the past . Yes. Less than four hours later barber george could be discovered by customers on the floor in the back of comics world. Yet in this public place in the strip mall, customers coming and going no witness remembers hearing gunshots, the two have been fired. No one remembers seeing anyone leave the store. No witness shot Michael George at the store from the time he left after 4 00 until he drove at 8 00 for what would be his birthday party. By then police were all over the scene. He identified himself, wanted to know what happened in the store. Lead the text of donald then of Clinton County pd testified that michael said his wife was working at comics world. I advised him that there has been an incident at the store and his wife had been injured. Did he ask you about her condition . No. Did he ask you about how it happened . No. He told the husband that then lieutenant don brook would be driving him to the hospital where he could find out about his wife. The former lieutenant testified that michael started training without prompting. He made a statement that i thought was noteworthy. What was a statement . Something must have felt or dropped on her in the back room. Why is that statement interesting to you. Because i never told him that mrs. George was in the backroom. Of the store. He knows things he shouldnt know . He knows evidence that only the shooter would know. Not realizing how unique that information is. Later that night according to police, Michael George told investigators that two white boxes of expensive comics for missing, and The Poor Barber must have stormed into a robbery gone bad. A theory that was rejected. This is why its not a robbery, wiring was on barbs hands, there is 720 dollar cash in the register. They were untouched. Expensive comics behind the glass were untouched. The safe, untouched. The safe was in the back storage room, michael claims the mixing boxes of comics where there as well. Whats unique about that is that the two boxes were unmarked, they didnt say expensive comic books here. Missing comics were never found, the prosecutors believe they were never stolen either. Even though michael recovered a 12,600 dollar Insurance Claim for them. There are 100 unmarked boxes in the room, the only way to know which ones to grab it says if its an inside job. The only inside job according to prosecutors, was the murder itself. The reason it is an inside job, is because of the accessibility to that door. That door was central to the prosecutors theory of the murder. Michael george, they said, sneaked in the back door and concealed himself until his wife was alone in the store. When she came into the background, their belief was, he fired two shots, the first one hitting the Swimsuit Calendar in the wall, the Second Striking barb in the top of her head as she was ducking away. The murder took place, and where he went from there the theories out the back door and gone. Slipping in the alley sight unseen, but not before doing what only he could do, the jury was told. He came in and he left. Through the back door. Locking that lock, double locked. Indeed, the door was locked from the outside when police arrived. Something prosecutors claimed only Michael George could do. You have to have those keys. No one but the defendant had keys to the back door, prosecutors maintained. They added, any supposed robert would have fled through the busy front door, certainly they would have been spotted. There were too many witnesses that started walking in within a minute to two minutes of the gunshot. No one sign me one leaving with boxes of comic books, no one saw Anyone Running up front door. And what about the people who were spotted by witnesses around the Comic Book Shop minutes before the murder . The guy in the fishermans cap . The suspicious character who seemed to be wearing a fake beard. The socalled bearded lady. Police even made a sketch of the bearded lady. Prosecutor said none of them would be suspects that amounted to anything, except in the case of the bearded lady. Prosecutors theorize that this person, may have been Michael Georges accomplice. The prosecutors would offer up their star witness, the sole person who could say the husband was indeed in those four, as the minutes were counting down to murder. Comic collector mike ronald. But this time the defense was ready with new evidence to challenge not only his credibility, but also his memory. Coming up in 1990, you used marijuana and you drink alcohol on the weekends, did you not . The strategy is to go nuclear on mike . I wouldnt say nuclear, no. I mean, we were bringing out the facts. When dateline continues. Teline continues oid free Allergy Relief that starts working in 30 minutes, while other Allergy Sprays take hours. With astepros Unbeatably Fast Allergy Relief you can astepro and go some luxury creams just sit on top of skin. But olay goes 10 Surface Layers deep. 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Top story, the death toll from the hawaii wildfires has risen to at least 89 with Officials Saying that the number may continue to go up. 2000 buildings have been damaged or destroyed in west maui. In an idaho, a federal judge is temporarily blocked a law requiring Public School students to use restrooms corresponding to their sex assigned at birth. The family of a trans middle School Student at a Student Association sued the state last month. And now, back to dateline. D now, back to dateline. Once again, Michael Georges guilt or innocence would likely come down to the man who said he made an innocent phone call about a spiderman comic. People call mike. In the first trial they had bought mikes account of speaking to the shop owner over the phone, apparently just minutes before the murder. The judge, however, had seemed skeptical. But now 12 new people would be deciding the case. So prosecution and Defense Lawyers had to start of fresh with the all important star witness. The stakes couldnt be higher. Mike, without him you didnt have a case . No hes the only one who puts him at the scene. Hes the only one who alone can destroy the defendants alibi. Without him we dont need to issue a warrant. Defense lawyers new their clients freedom dependent both on the challenging run odd stories and reinforcing the defendants alibi. So what we really had to focus on, what we hope to direct the jury to focus on was specifically that alibi. The defendants 1990s story was that he had left his Clinton Town Ship shop sometime after four pm to go to his mothers house. She lived in hazel park about a half hour away. Its Michael Georges alibi that he was at his mothers house for about 4 30 to 7 30. A little after he arrived, his mother said she took her grandchildren to the park, and he was sleeping on the couch when they got back sometime after 6 00. Barbara was murdered a little after 6 00. If Michael Georges account is true, he was at his mothers at that time and therefore could not be the killer. But according to prosecutors, Michael George wasnt napping on the couch at all, they contended that he had returned to comics world and sneaked into the storage room with a gun when barb left to order pizza for his birthday party. And about what time was that . 5 30. That is the timeframe of this witness, a friend of barbs came to the store. It was locked in just to wait for barb to return from the pizza place. If shes not in the store at 5 30 she couldnt answer the phone at 5 30, correct . Correct. So if somebody answered the phone at 5 30 it has to be some other than her . Correct. Now, prosecutors questioned the one witness they said who could identify who answered the phone. Your name is michael . Yes. Mike. In 1990 a decade before his disabling accident, he was married, had a young daughter and was holding down two jobs. We also attending school . Yes, i was going to wayne state. How well did you do . I graduated cool ade. The prosecution wanted the jury to guard him as both a serious person and a knowledgeable call it book collector. How frequently would you go to the store . At least once a week. The day after the murder, he testified, he stopped by comics world before work, but his critical story for the jury had to do with a phone call he made later in the day to the shop. He had a collectors question about a spiderman deal. He called because he was excited that some book had jumped from 8 to 40. Did you contact anyone to discuss the reasons for it going up in value . Yes i called mike. He knew the voice, he knew the time that he would be there. That is the whole case. Tell me about the demeanor of Michael George in the phone call. The answers were very short and he seemed to be in a hurry to get out of the phone. So you might wonder as so many people did if Michael George was lying in wait to murder his wife in just moments, why would he be so dumb as to pick up a Ringing Phone in the store. He picks it up, for one of two reasons, either as a businessman, its a call and he doesnt want to lose business. Number two, its his accomplice from the outside, letting him know what is going on. Couldnt investigators simply pulled the phone logs and verify his story, by seeing at what times the records show the call coming in . Not in 1990. The Phone Company didnt keep those kinds of logs on local calls. But remember, his story had fallen through the investigative cracks altogether until a Cold Case Koch came upon it in 2007. In the rediscovered file was a statement saying that a guy named mike had called the Police Department the day after the murder. He wanted detectives to know that he had spoken with Michael George in the comic shop at six pm on the faithful day. After you hung up the phone with the department did you think about it further . Yes. Okay, why . I did not want to get mike in trouble if i was wrong about the time. According to the newly discovered police records, he had called the police back almost immediately to amend the time he had spoken to Michael George. What did you advise pulleys this time when you called back . It was closer to 5 30. There are multiple calls to police, we saw that as a strike rather than a weakness, he is trying to help Michael George, hes trying to tell police dont get him in trouble because of me. Its establishing that he is not in this because he had some ill will against the or he is making it up for 15 minutes of fame. That is not how the defense team saw mike, they thought he was basking in the limelight of a big murder trial. We think that he is exaggerating his own importance in his mind, he saw a way to become important in a homicide investigation. They wanted the jury to question his motives, memory and credibility. He makes himself think like he is a good buddy of Michael George, Michael George doesnt remember him at all. His numerous calls to the police indicate that this witness didnt have a good handle on his recollection and was therefore unreliable. He called several times being on certain of the time when he was making the call. If the call to Michael George happened little in the Defense Disputes that it did, Defense Attorney believes it must have been placed before the shop owner love before his house, that was before the murder. Youre saying that he is not just mistaken in his time, that he is a little bit motivated a person of mischief. We think he wanted to become a hero. In fact since the last trial, he had tried to bolster his story by adding new facts, according to the defense. He revealed for the first time that he went to the Clinton Township Police Department days after the murder to make a report in person. The tough crossexamination brought up that the police interviewed was at best hazy. The person you met with with the face to face conversation, do you know the persons name . I do not. How about the gender, man or woman . Man. Old or young . I cannot say. Was the person in a uniform or a coat or shirt . I cannot say. Do you remember seeing a badge . I cannot say. Did you ever see a Police Report that was generated out so result of the interview. No sir. Theres no reports of that interview. Was it another example in the defenses team of inept police work, or a figment of his imagination . You took the Police Department lost a very important Police Report or the lack of police note is a fact because the interview never happened. Isnt it true serve that you invented that you made up this conversation . I did not do that. But now the defense was moving on. They were telling the jury there may be a reason why mikes memory so hazy. Back in those days, the lawyers asserted, he was often in a haze of pot smoke. Can you remember the times that you were high . Argumentative. The strategy is to go nuclear on mike . I wouldnt say nuclear we were bringing up the facts. In 1990 you used marijuana and you drank alcohol on the weekends, did you not . I was in college and i would not surprise me. So the homicide were talking about occurred friday july 13th, you have two initial calls to the police, they occurred on saturday july 14th of 1990, we are agreed that friday and saturday our weekend days correct . Correct. One question whether he got high on the only weekend that mattered, july 13th and 14th 1990, he had to admit that he didnt remember. You could have used it or you could not have used and you dont remember . Correct. The defenses goal was to raise reasonable doubt with the jury about his recall and credibility. Marijuana can cause time distortion so were talking to a person who might not have the best handle on time. Now that the defense believed it had shredded his story it was ready to tell the jury who really murdered barbara george. Coming up another possible suspect in an impossibly strange disguise. You said it looked like a woman in a fake beard, thin guy, womanly hips. Its a beard and mustache, with no Theater Productions or halloween parties. This is just too suspicious to be circumstantial. When dateline continues. Ne continues may start at age 9. Hpv vaccination a type of Cancer Prevention against certain hpvrelated cancers, can start then too. For most, hpv clears on its own. But for others, it can cause certain cancers later in life. Youre welcome now, as the dad cab, its my cue to help protect them. Embrace this phase. Help protect them in the next. Ask their doctor today about hpv vaccination. I gotta good feeling about this, yeah embrace this phase. 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Michael george had been married to his second wife renee for almost 20 years, through thick and thin and they still seemed very much in love. This case will show you at his 2011 trial, the defense acknowledged right upfront that during his first marriage, michael would never have won an award for husband of the year. This is not a matter of suspicion, innuendo, discuss with a person for having an affair, this is a matter of evidence. So lead Defense Attorney reminded the jurors that the defendant was on trial for murder. And all dulce is a person who has done evil things, but that does not necessarily make a murderer. The victims shoe can be seen. As for any hard evidence that Michael George killed his wife in cold blood the defenceman detained, it just didnt exist. And you have no weapon, no witnesses, no forensics, nothing to tie your guy to the crime . Nothing that tyson to the crime. Im happy to say that we rest. Just as in the first trial came the moment when the prosecution rested in the defense filed a motion saying, your honor, they have not made their case. Theres no physical evidence which links Michael George to the crime. This time there was no fivehour retreat to chambers for the judge to think about. Her ruling came in seconds. The court is fighting that the prosecution has presented substantial evidence the defendant teared up, there was enough evidence, the judge declared to go forward. Basic conclusion gentlemen is that that motion is denied. So, with that setback, not unexpected the defense began its three prong line of attack. That the original police work was inept. That there was evidence some show that someone else committed the crime. And thirdly that Michael George had a strong alibi. We decided that the strongest evidence was the alibi. That would be sufficient to win. But, knowing that we are dealing with michaels history and the affairs that could make him an unlikable character, joe and i realize that we really almost had to prove innocence. Michael george told police that he had left the store with his daughters a little after four pm that friday, they went to his month or janet he said he was asleep when tragically his wife was shot. Gianna george the mother had testified in the first trial and backed up her sons asleep on a couch story. He was on the couch. But Defense Attorneys altered their strategy for trial number two. Maam do you swear that you will read word for word everything that is in the transcript . Yes. Mom didnt testify in person this time around, the defense had a standing read gianna georgias 2008 testimony into the record. An account which michael arrived in her house a little bit after five pm that day. She said he was tight so he took a nap, while she took her granddaughters. Did you observe michael at all when youve got back. Yes. Where was he . He was on the couch sleeping. If the jurors believe the story being recited to them, Michael George could not have possibly been at the shop around 5 30 answering the phone, thats when the star prosecution witness mike renaud said he spoke to him. His mother is the heart of the argument, she is still alive, why did you put on to stand . Tough call. We agonized about it. The problem with jan george is that she loves her son, but shes a wildcard. Her memory is fading. The lawyers were confident about the decision not to call the mother because they had a strong witness to substantiate parts of her story. Okay, have a seat right here. This was janets next door neighbor. On that friday the 13th, like most days, peggy said she got home from her job between 5 45 and 6 00. As you got close to your house, did you see anybody . I saw janet and the two girls in the School Playground at the end of our street. Did you saw them there, what is what did they do . They waved. As you pull into your house, what if anything did you see in front of janets house . There was a van parked in front of the house. Okay, did you recognize whose van it was . I assumed it was one of michaels bands, yes. In the prosecutions theory of the timeline, there was a missing link of logistics, how did michael get from his mothers place and back to the store in time to kill barbara . The neighbor sighting of his van outside his moms, could plant the seed of reasonable doubt. She has no dogma in the fight, she is not a close, close but your lifelong personal friend of janet or michaels, shes a neighbor, why wouldnt you believe . Or when you take the combined testimony of janet george and peggy you have solid evidence that he was at someplace else. That neighbor was a person the defense team had found on its own. The police had never knocked on doors to cooperate michaels alibi being at his mothers. Evidence in itself the defense argued of shoddy police work. Even the former Police Lieutenant admitted on Cross Examination that aspect of the investigation couldve been better. If you were the officer in charge of this case would you have conducted a canvas of his mothers neighborhood to see if people could have placed him there at or about the time of the homicide . Yes sir. In a police work was a defense team. For instance the bella the police never tested Michael George for gun residue. The entry door. And also failed to does the prosecutions critical backdoor for fingerprints. If the bad guy reach for the handle to get out that way, he would have left some prints, but we will never know that because the police didnt does that. There is some plastic storage bins. Police photos inside the comic shop where barbara was found seemed to show clutter blocking the back door. How could Michael George have gone in or out past all of that . Does that look like the room you saw in the back . Showing the photo, the detective didnt know how to read the junk in the way. Was it leaning up the door . I cant tell the perspective here its hard to tell. The defense felt it had already raised enough reasonable doubt to secure a not guilty verdict. Even though they inoue had to, the lawyers wanted to offer the jurys other possible murder suspects to consider in a scenario of a robbery gone wrong. The defense calls mr. Thomas clinton. The defense put on a witness who told a story about being with two friends outside a Comic Book Shop in flint michigan, some 50 miles away from Michael Georges shop. A sinister looking guy he said was peddling what appeared to be hot comics. A man approached us in the parking lot and he asked us to take a look at old comics that he wanted to sell. This new defense witness said he came forward only after watching the first Comic Book Murder case on dateline. He testified that the dan teenagers didnt trust the seller and bought nothing from him. The five that the gentleman was giving us told us no way. The witness said that encounter took place july 14th 1990, significantly the day after Barbara Georges murder, but his friends called by the prosecution contradicted him and said it actually happened weeks earlier. We were walking towards the building the defense wasnt out of alternative suspects, one of the store customers who had initially come upon barbara george, recounted seen a suspicious man lurking about when he got to comics world a little bit after six pm. It appeared that the individual was trying to gaze into the store, quite focused, in quite a focused fashion. He remembers the man because of his distinctive hat. A greek fishermans cap, black cap. A cap like this. Let me show you the exhibit. It looks similar to that. Another witness testified that in 1990, she briefly dated a guy who wore a short break hat like that. A guy who carried a gun, was up to no good when it came to the Comic Book Stores they frequented. Ive realized after we left the Comic Book Stores that he was stealing the comic books. These were all possible suspects, the defense claims. On the top of its list of curiosities was someone who became known as the bearded lady. Were coming around witness joe gray a friend of the georges came to the store before 6 00 to drop off supplies for michaels perth a party. He was with a friend who saw something strange. He said it looked like a woman in a fake beard, a thin guy, with womanly hips or something. He and his friends were concerned about this weird bearded lady that they even warned barber to be on the lookout. It didnt feel right. Why would someone wear a fake beard, maybe somebody was coming to the party as a joke, maybe they were trying to rob the place. It was joe grays friend who would help police make a sketch of the socalled bearded lady. I believe that the person with a fake beard and mustache is the killer. Thats your solution to this . Thats right. A fake bearded mustache on the july day, with no Theater Productions or halloween parties. This is just too suspicious in these circumstances, this is the killer. What would 12 freshly jurors believe this time . The Comic Book Murder case, volume two had one final chapter left. Coming up all right gentlemen, we have a verdict. All rise for the jury. When dateline continues. When dateline continues your best defense against erosion and cavities is strong enamel nothing beats it. New pronamel active shield actively shields the enamel to defend against erosion and cavities. I think that this product is a gamechanger for my patients it really works. [sneeze] astepro allergy, steroid free Allergy Relief that starts working in 30 minutes, while other Allergy Sprays take hours. With astepros Unbeatably Fast Allergy Relief you can astepro and go [ tires screeching ] jordana, easy on the gas. I gotta wrap this commercial, i think im late on my payment. Its okay, the general gives you a break. Yeah, we let you pick your own due date. Good to know, because this next scene might take a while. For a great low rate, go with the general. The Comic Book Murder was a grueling case in search of an ending. Barbara george had been shot to death in 1990, her husband was arrested in 2007. His first trial ended in a guilty verdict that was later overturned. And now, after six weeks retrial in 2011, a second jury was behind closed doors deliberating. 21 years in all. Once again, Michael George hadnt testified as was his right. His lawyers had put him through a mock Cross Examination that spring leaks, they said his memory was faulty after all that time. I put together a pattern of crossexamination questions where he had to say i dont remember about 20 times in a row. We have two solid alibi witnesses, its almost malpractice to put him on the stand. The prosecutors believe his reluctance to testify was more about him not being able to stand up to the grilling he would have face in real crossexamination. My wife was murdered, that is the most important day of my life and i forgot what happened that day . It is because maybe i talked myself out of wanting to remember. I wanted to hear what he had to say. This jury said that the panel was disappointed that they didnt hear the story from his own mouth. You can see a lot about a person when they talk about themselves. They can talk to ten of the 12 jurors, they told us their first vote revealed a split. Seven guiltys, five not. And youre not guiltys needed to be persuaded . It was the robbery, it was clarification and a couple had an idea that maybe the robbery did happen. The central question for each juror was which story to believe. The Comic Book Collector who said he talked on the phone with Michael George in the shop just before the murders, or the defendants mother, his alibi witness that he was napping on her couch across town at the same hour . To me, ultimately, it came down to michael renauds testimony and the phone call he made that placed Michael George at the scene of the crime. So, did the defense damage mike renauds credibility by attacking him as a marijuana beer guzzling college kid. Not to this juror. I think they were trying to attack him to make us believe that he couldnt remember anything because it was a drug abuser. Several jurors questioned the mothers recollection of events. Im not saying she would live for him but i mean, would you stick up for your kids . The jurors talked it for three days, and finally took a vote. All right gentlemen, we have a verdict. Their job was done. All rise. Michael george cried quietly, his wife reena remained stoic. On the benches across the court, barbs brother hoped from justice from a second jury. Its 12 people, you dont know what theyre talking about. The four person but the verdict firstdegree, premeditated murder of barbara george, guilty, first degree premeditated murder. Guilty, murder in the first degree. And guilty on the other counts as well. Felony firearm and insurance fraud. Michael george didnt break down this time. He closed his eyes and seemed to talk to himself. Behind him, his wife renee, buried her head. Barbs brother contained his joy out of respect for his nieces who had lost their mother and now their father. Its bittersweet, i mean, they have to come to the realization that their fathers murderer. The prosecutors quietly congratulated each other on the conviction. It was a huge relief to know that finally the family is getting what they deserve. The get the justice they deserve. Michael george was let out of the courtroom to begin the rest of his life in prison. With no possibility of parole. A terrible injustice as his staunch attorneys say. I lived with this case for four years and i dont see evidence and he was there committing the crime. Ive prosecuted killers, ive defended killers, this man is not a killer. I dont know why god is putting us through this. But i do know he loves us. Six weeks after the verdict, Michael George did finally speak out, but as a convicted murder at his pro forma sentencing hearing. The catastrophe of putting people away that are innocent, has not started with me and will not end with me. Before this i had never been accused of any crime, no domestic violence, i have no police record, no problems with drugs. I can only hope and pray that the lives destroyed by people being overzealous in the Police Community will find merchan gods. Barbs sister expected nothing. Once again no apology, he thinks hes better than anybody else, and that he was going to get away with. It as barbs family saw, since 1990, he did get away with murder. Until county attorney eric smith cold case unit finally made him pay. Do you still talk to barbara . Yes. Do talk to her in the courtroom that day . Yes. What did you say . That i love her. That we miss her. And we finally got him. Hopefully she can rest in peace, and we can move on. Ove on he was well liked, well loved. He was smart, he was fun. I had the most senseless empty feeling. This is how it ends . Why would somebody do it. Now what . White hat. Wide opened smile. A handsome young veterinarian and big sky country. He loved helping animals. He asked me out that night. I was excited. And then they found him. Dead on the floor. Two shots went off